If you have been to Bali then you know it is pretty damn bougie and if you haven’t, then you probably guessed that already.
Of all the different parts of the island – Canggu, Uluwatu, Ubud, Kuta, etc. – the area of Seminyak is undoubtedly the most chic and swanky of them all.
It is in the heart of Seminyak, metres away from a few particularly popular spots on the island such as Sea Circus and Motel Mexicola, that you will find The Legian Bali Hotel*.
A Balinese institution of sorts, this hotel was built more than 20 years ago. It is due to its unparalleled elevated location on one of Bali’s best beaches, offering uninterrupted views of the island’s spectacular sunsets, that it has stood the test of time.
The Legian Bali Hotel review
I stayed in the one bedroom deluxe suite with ocean views, which I will now translate for you…
As I entered the room, to my right was a pantry room with kitchen utensils and amenities, a selection of snacks (dried fruits, chocolate, nuts and crisps) and a minibar with beer and soft drinks. Everything was free and replaced daily, which blew me away (free minibar whaaaaaat?!).
Walking forward you enter the first room, which is split into two parts: the first part has a desk and dining table with a fruit bowl of delicious local produce such as dragon fruit and lychees, the second part a sofa, coffee table and television.
If you continue walking forward you enter the balcony, with a small table and a large sofabed, overlooking the pool and ocean. However, if you turn right and pull apart the sliding doors you will find a four-poster bed, large wardrobe and further inside a huge bathroom with two sinks and both a shower and bath.
There wasn’t one thing to complain about or wish for (other than a private pool, which some of the suites had – but I am not that demanding and we were on the second floor after all).
The details
The colonial architecture that makes up the enormous buildings are quite spectacular. Behind, overlooking the beach, The Legian Bali has an incredible three-tiered infinity pool adorned with sun loungers, of course, with a restaurant to one side and a champagne bar to the other.
Nestled within the property’s South Garden is the spa. The treatment rooms sit overlooking the beach, and facilities include all the things you’d want, such as a warm plunge whirlpool, cold plunge pool, sauna, steam rooms, and gym. The hotel also provides complimentary daily morning yoga classes for guests.
I was lucky enough to try a treatment, which I will explain more about below.
The food
Breakfast was both buffet and a la carte, so you quite literally cannot ask for more. It offers both Indonesian and Western foods, as well as healthy dishes (and naughty ones, such as the deeeeelicious French toast with fruit and whipped cream).
I didn’t have lunch here, but I did have an incredible dinner that started with raw fish (which I didn’t know I liked until that very moment), and continued with tantalizing range of artistically presented dishes from the garden, sea and farm. The restaurant aims to incorporate Asian influences and local ingredients with European concept.
Afternoon tea is free, daily, from 4pm to 6pm. Not as large and filling as a paid-for experience, The Legian Bali’s afternoon tea consists of tea or coffee, a few sandwiches and a some wonderful treats, all small enough to pop into your mouth in one go without ruining your appetite for dinner.
The pièce de résistance
Remember I said I would talk more about the spa treatments? Well here we go…
The menu of signature experiences are created from native healing traditions from ancient massage techniques which use healing rituals practiced for generations among the Balinese people.
If I was you, I would chose from their Ila Blessing Rituals, which is exactly what I did.
Each has a different healing property:
- Earth is for the lower back
- Water is for fertility (and recommended for couples to experience together)
- Fire is for health and vitality
- Air is for the heart and claims to give way to compassion, forgiveness and generosity
- Space is for communication and self-expression
- Intuition is for dealing with perception, intuition and concentration
- Divine is for inner wisdom and our connection to the cosmic universe
The various treatments use a combination of massage, body scrubs, Tibetan singing bowls, facials, smoke rituals, body wraps and sound healing – chakra blessing.
I chose Earth which tackles “the root chakra (Muladhara), located at the base of the spine, anchoring the spirit to the material world”. It began with a foot scrub, followed by a smoking ritual in which I sat on a stool with smoke flowing out of a hole in the top (directly onto my nether regions!) while the Tibetan singing bowl was played around my head (very relaxing). This was followed with a body scrub, shower, Kunya massage (so relaxing I think I fell asleep), and finished with sound healing with the singing bowl again.
You can get a massage in almost every hotel around the world and you can get ridiculously cheap massages all over Asia (as little as £3 in the Philippines, and I have never paid more than £8 in any country).
However, this two-hour ritualistic, healing treatment was unlike anything I had ever had or even heard of. It wasn’t just a massage or treatment – it was an experience.
Whether you believe in the healing capabilities of what I described or not, the mental and physical affects of a treatment such as this cannot be disputed.
Fact box
*I stayed for free as a journalist, not a blogger, I am not obliged to post anything on my blog or social media for them and all opinions are true.
The Legian Seminyak, Bali is a 25-minute drive from the Ngurah Rai International Airport and is situated on Bali’s southern coast. Rates start from $498 (currently approx. £381) per night on a B&B basis, excluding taxes. For more information, please visit: www.lhm-hotels.com
All photos were taken with a photographer from Shoot my Travel.
